(LAKEVILLE, MINNESOTA) — Hilton Hotels removed a Hampton Inn franchise in Lakeville, Minnesota from its systems after the property refused to accommodate Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents and an undercover video showed the hotel did not change its policy.
“The independent hotel owner had assured us that they had fixed this problem and published a message confirming this,” Hilton said. “A recent video clearly raises concerns that they are not meeting our standards and values. As such, we are taking immediate action to remove this hotel from our systems.”
Hilton also said, “Our properties are open to everyone and we do not tolerate any form of discrimination.”
The dispute began when DHS agents tried to book rooms at the Hampton Inn by Hilton Lakeville using official government emails and rates, and hotel staff canceled the reservations after discovering the guests were immigration agents.
Emails allegedly sent by hotel staff stated:
“We have noticed an influx of GOV reservations made today that have been for DHS, and we are not allowing any ICE or immigration agents to stay at our property. If you are with DHS or immigration, let us know as we will have to cancel your reservation.”
Another email from a Hilton email address read:
“After further investigation online, we have found information about immigration work connected with your name and we will be cancelling your upcoming reservation.”
Hilton initially said the independently owned hotel apologized and took corrective action, but later changed course after an undercover video by influencer Nick Sortor showed a hotel attendant confirming the ban on DHS officials remained in effect.
In the video described by Hilton, the attendant said he had spoken with the owner hours before, and the policy was still in place.
Hilton did not describe in its statement how the hotel was removed from its systems, or what changes guests would see when attempting to book the property under the Hilton brand.
Everpeak Hospitality, the management company operating the Hampton Inn, said it acted quickly after the incident became public.
“Everpeak Hospitality has moved swiftly to address this matter as it was inconsistent with our policy of being a welcoming place for all. We are in touch with the impacted guests to ensure they are accommodated. We do not discriminate against any individuals or agencies and apologize to those impacted,” Everpeak Hospitality said.
The Lakeville dispute has drawn attention because it involves immigration enforcement personnel and because it escalated quickly from canceled bookings to a brand rupture between Hilton Hotels and a Hampton Inn franchise.
Hilton framed its decision around its standards and values, linking the split to the video evidence and to the hotel owner’s earlier assurances.
The company also pointed to a longer-standing position on immigration-related detention activities, which it described as separate from the Lakeville booking dispute but part of its public stance.
“Our statement of July 24, 2020 remains true. We believe that hotels should be places of hospitality, and the detainment of migrants, including minors, is not activity that we support or in any way want associated with our hotels,” Hilton said.
The controversy unfolded amid a broader Trump administration deployment of approximately 2,000 DHS agents in Minnesota as part of an expanded federal crackdown related to fraud investigations in the state.
The Lakeville property’s actions, and Hilton Hotels’ response, have placed a national spotlight on how hotel operators handle bookings from federal agencies, and how quickly a franchise relationship can fracture when a dispute becomes public.
Hilton Hotels officially disconnected a Hampton Inn franchise in Minnesota from its network. The decision followed evidence that the hotel was systematically canceling reservations for DHS and ICE agents. Although the owner previously promised to end the practice, video evidence confirmed the ban remained. Hilton reiterated that its properties must be open to everyone without discrimination, leading to a total brand rupture.
